Electromagnetically-shielding enclosure

Abstract

A panel for an electromagnetic shield includes a light-weight, porous, electrically-conductive, fluid-permeable planar core layer defined between generally parallel first and second surfaces and a first face sheet laminated to the first surface of the core layer with rigidity properties superior to the rigidity properties of the core layer. The thickness of the first face sheet is substantially less than the thickness of the core layer. The core layer is made of metallic foam or a metal coating on an electrically-nonconductive, porous, nonmetallic substrate chosen from among nonwoven fibrous matting, paper, and open-cell nonmetallic foam. Also, the core layer may also may be made up of liberated branching metal nanostrands or a plurality of electrically-coupled, electrically-conductive particles, each taking the from of an electrically-nonconductive, nonmetallic substrate with a metal coating. The first face sheet includes a cured layer of resin and, distributed throughout the resin, electrically-conductive elements selected from among liberated branched metal nanostrands, metal wires, and metal meshes, in addition to fibers, woven fabric, nonwoven matting, or paper that are metal-coated.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electromagnetically-shielding enclosure for an interior space, the enclosure exhibiting broadband shielding capability including low frequencies comprising:
 (a) a plurality of electromagnetic shield panels disposed in a three-dimensional array surrounding the interior space, each of the panels being bounded at the periphery thereof by a sequence of circumscribing edges, and each of the panels comprising:
 (i) a light-weight, porous, electrically-conductive planar core layer comprising nickel as a component having generally parallel inner and outer surfaces on opposite sides thereof, the core layer in each of the panels in the three-dimensional array is comprised of a fluid-permeable material; and 
 (ii) an outer face sheet laminated to the outer surface of the core layer, the outer face sheet being electrically-conductive and having rigidity properties superior to the rigidity properties of the core layer, the outer face sheet in each of the panels in the three-dimensional array is fluid-impermeable; 
 
 (b) joinder means for securing the edges of adjacent of the panels in the three-dimensional array with electrically-conductive components of the adjacent of the panels in electrical communication; and 
 (c) a flow control for directing fluid to flow through a selected region of the core layer, the flow control comprising an outer aperture formed through the outer face sheet of a selected panel in the three-dimensional array. 
 
     
     
       2. An enclosure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid-impermeable inner face sheet laminated to the inner surface of the core layer in each of the panels in the three-dimensional array, the inner face sheet having rigidity properties superior to the rigidity properties of the core layer associated therewith. 
     
     
       3. An enclosure as recited in  claim 2  further comprising a flow control for directing fluid to flow through a selected region of the core layer, the flow control comprising:
 (a) an outer aperture formed through an outer face sheet of a selected panel in the three-dimensional array; and 
 (b) an inner aperture formed through the inner face sheet of the selected panel in the three-dimensional array at a location opposite the outer aperture. 
 
     
     
       4. An enclosure as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the flow control directs heat through the inner aperture formed through the inner face sheet, the core layer, and the outer aperture formed through the outer face sheet. 
     
     
       5. An enclosure as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the core layer is thermally conductive and a portion of the heat is transferred to the core layer. 
     
     
       6. An enclosure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the flow control directs heat through the core layer and the outer aperture formed through the outer face sheet. 
     
     
       7. An enclosure as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the core layer is thermally conductive and a portion of the heat is transferred to the core layer.